Your no-ticket-required guide to the best two weeks in tennis: the drink, the food, the outfit, and the gifts worth actually buying.
The US Open is the loudest, sweatiest, most gloriously over-the-top fortnight in tennis, and you do not need a ticket to Flushing Meadows to be part of it. To host a US Open watch party at home, you really only need three things: the matches on the biggest screen you own, a pitcher of Honey Deuces, and a little bit of courtside style. Everything after that is gravy.
Here is exactly how to pull it off: when to tune in, how to make the tournament's famous pink cocktail, what to put out to eat, and, because someone always asks halfway through the second set, the tennis-obsessed gifts that are genuinely worth it.
The short version
The 2026 US Open wraps up on finals weekend, September 12–13. Stream it on the biggest screen you have, batch a pitcher of Honey Deuces (Grey Goose vodka, lemonade, a splash of Chambord, and three honeydew melon balls), set out easy one-handed food, and give every guest a player to root for. Want to turn it into a gift? A VolleyBird Tennis Box lands like a courtside seat in a box.
When is the 2026 US Open?
The 2026 US Open is played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York and finishes on the weekend of September 12–13, 2026. The women's singles final is Saturday, September 12; the men's singles final is Sunday, September 13. That gives you two full weeks of night sessions, upsets, and five-set theatre to build around, but if you are hosting just once, those two final nights are the marquee.
What Is a Honey Deuce, and How Do You Make One at Home?
A Honey Deuce is the official cocktail of the US Open: a tall, blush-pink, ridiculously refreshing mix of vodka and lemonade, finished with three honeydew melon balls skewered to look like tiny tennis balls. Bartender Nick Mautone dreamed it up in 2007, and it has since become the most famous drink in the sport. It debuted at $12; in 2026 it costs $23 a glass on the grounds, and the USTA sold enough of them to bring in roughly $17 million in 2025 alone. The happy news for your party: yours will cost about a dollar.
Honey Deuce recipe (makes 1)
- 1½ oz Grey Goose vodka
- 3 oz lemonade
- ½ oz Chambord (black raspberry liqueur)
- 3 honeydew melon balls, for garnish
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add the vodka and lemonade and give it a stir. Slowly pour the Chambord down the inside of the glass so it sinks and blushes the drink pink. Skewer three melon balls and rest them across the rim. That is the whole trick: the melon balls are the tennis balls.
Hosting a crowd? Batch the vodka and lemonade in a pitcher, skip the Chambord in the pitcher, and add it by the half-ounce per glass so every drink keeps that sunset-pink layer.
How to host a US Open watch party, step by step
- Pick your night. Finals weekend (September 12–13) is the easy call, but a marquee night session earlier in the tournament works beautifully; fewer people have plans, and the drama is just as good.
- Make the screen the centerpiece. One big screen everyone can see beats a TV in the corner. Pull the seating into a loose semicircle, like a little stadium.
- Batch the Honey Deuces. Mix the base ahead of time and ball your melon the morning of, so you are watching tennis instead of scooping fruit at match point.
- Keep the food one-handed. Nobody wants a knife and fork during a tiebreak. Think boards, bites, and bowls (more on that below).
- Give everyone a side. Draw names, split the room, or let people pick their favorite as they walk in. A watch party is ten times louder when everyone has someone to cheer for.
- Dress the part. You are not going to Queens, but a little tennis whites-meets-summer-party energy makes it feel like an occasion.
What should you serve at a US Open watch party?
Keep it easy, keep it one-handed, and lean into the season. A few crowd-pleasers that never miss: a big board of cheese, fruit, and crackers; sliders or mini sandwiches; a bowl of good chips with a dip you did not overthink; and, for a wink at the main event, extra honeydew, cubed and cold. Finish with something small and sweet you can eat standing up. The tennis is the entertainment; the food just has to keep hands busy between points.
What should you wear to a US Open watch party?
The best courtside looks always look thrown together. They are not. Think crisp and comfortable: a great pair of sneakers, breathable layers, and one piece that says you knew there was a theme. We wrote a whole guide on this: see What to Wear to the US Open for the full breakdown, from the shoes up.
The best gifts for the tennis lover in your life
Here is the thing about tennis people: they are wonderful to shop for, because they love the sport out loud. If your watch party doubles as a birthday, a hostess thank-you, or a just-because, a few ideas that always land:
A tennis subscription box. The VolleyBird Tennis Box is a curated surprise of court-worthy gear, accessories, and finds: the grown-up version of a goodie bag, delivered. It is our most giftable pick for a reason.
A cheeky courtside hat. Our Darling Collection hats say the quiet part out loud: "That's Deuce, Darling" being a house favorite. Great for the person who takes their tennis seriously and themselves less so.
Everything-they-need, chosen for them. If you are not sure which sport to shop, our surprise boxes span tennis, pickleball, padel, and golf, so you can match the gift to the obsession.
The best sports gifts are not really about the gear. They are a way of saying: I see the thing you love, and I love that you love it. That is what a good box does: it celebrates the game they can't stop talking about.
Your US Open watch party checklist
- The matches on the biggest screen you own
- A batch of Honey Deuces (vodka, lemonade, Chambord, melon balls)
- One-handed food: a board, some bites, a dip, cold honeydew
- A player for every guest to root for
- A little courtside style (and maybe a Darling hat)
- A gift, if the party is really a celebration, a Tennis Box does the work
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 US Open final?
The 2026 US Open finals are the weekend of September 12–13. The women's singles final is Saturday, September 12, and the men's singles final is Sunday, September 13, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
What is in a Honey Deuce?
A Honey Deuce is made with 1½ oz vodka (Grey Goose is the official pour), 3 oz lemonade, and ½ oz Chambord raspberry liqueur, garnished with three honeydew melon balls skewered to resemble tennis balls.
How much is a Honey Deuce at the US Open?
A Honey Deuce costs $23 at the 2026 US Open, and it comes in a collectible souvenir cup. It first appeared in 2007 for $12.
Why does a Honey Deuce have melon balls?
The three honeydew melon balls are a nod to tennis balls: the visual pun is part of why the drink became the tournament's signature and a social-media favorite.
What should I serve at a US Open watch party?
Serve easy, one-handed food: a cheese-and-fruit board, sliders, chips and dip, cold cubed honeydew, and a small sweet, plus a batch of Honey Deuces. The goal is food guests can eat without looking away from the match.
What is a good gift for someone who loves tennis?
A tennis subscription box like the VolleyBird Tennis Box is an easy win: it is a curated surprise of court-worthy gear and accessories. A cheeky tennis hat or a mixed-sport surprise box are great alternatives.
Whether you are hosting the party or shopping for the tennis lover who never misses a Slam, the VolleyBird Tennis Box delivers the courtside feeling to their door, no ticket required. Explore the Tennis Box and all our surprise boxes for tennis, pickleball, padel, and golf.
